Pradeep (Pat), the elder of the two brothers, is operations director at Houghton Trading Ltd, responsible for the company’s IT and logistics side of the business.

Pat studied at Grahame Park School, NW London, before going to Borehamwood College to do an electronics course. His first ‘proper’ job was as a civil servant at the British Newspaper Library in Colindale. Determined to bring in as much money as possible to support the family he took on a second job in the evenings at the United Biscuits sandwich factory next door, making sandwiches for M&S and British Rail.

He left in 1987 to join Kishor in the family business, which had taken off by then.

Married to Gita, they have two grown up children. Their daughter Mira works in HR and married Amit Kotecha in 2011. Their son Amit has pursued a career in marketing and currently works for Madbid.com.